Hate crime charges filed in Facebook torture video

Chicago authorities filed hate crime charges against four black people accused of kidnapping and torturing a mentally challenged white teen and then broadcasting the attack on Facebook.

Hate crime charges came as a result of the totality of the circumstances, including the victim’s mental capacity, the fact that they tied him up, and the blatant racist remarks and disparaging comments about the victim’s diminished mental ability made throughout the assault, authorities said during a press conference Thursday.

The suspects were identified as Brittany Covington, 18; Tesfaye Cooper, 18; Jordan Hill, 18; and Tanishia Covington, 24. In addition to the hate crime, they have been charged with kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated unlawful restraint.

Also, Brittany and Tanishia, who are sisters, have been charged with residential burglary, and Hill has been charged with robbery and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

Authorities said investigators had been considering the incident a hate crime from the beginning, but wanted to ensure the investigation was based on facts and not emotion.

Authorities explained the 18-year-old victim had attended school with Hill before the incident and they planned to spend New Year’s Eve together, but the attack does not appear to be premeditated.

Hill met the victim at a suburban McDonald’s on the night of Dec. 31. He had stolen the van earlier, something the victim did not know. They spent two days together — visiting friends and, the victim at least, sleeping in the van — before arriving at the Covington sisters’ apartment on Jan. 3.

According to statements taken by investigators, at some point, Hill and the victim started “play fighting,” which escalated to the point that the Covington sisters became agitated with the victim. The four cornered him in the apartment, bound his hands, covered his mouth with tape and cut up his clothes with a knife. They also admitted to hitting and kicking him.

For four to five hours, the group kept the victim tied up as they attacked and berated him. The video shows them forcing him to drink toilet water and at one point cutting his scalp with a knife. Also, at some point, the suspects sent text messages to the victim’s family, taunting them and saying they were holding him captive.

The victim managed to escape after a neighbor complained about noise coming from the apartment. Angered at the neighbor who threatened to call police if the noise continued, the sisters walked downstairs and kicked in the neighbor’s door and then the neighbor called 911. Left unattended, the victim freed himself.

The officer responding to the call saw the victim, who looked bloody, battered, disoriented and was wearing clothes inappropriate for outside in Chicago’s cold weather.

Authorities learned the victim had been reported missing by his parents on Jan. 2. They brought him to the hospital for medical treatment and arrested the suspects.

Authorities said there does not appear to be a clear motive for the assault and think the situation had escalated into violence rather than thoughtfully planned. They also noted that none of the suspects have showed any sort of remorse for their actions.

The family of the victim spoke briefly with reporters. They said they cannot comprehend why someone would do this to him, thanked everyone for their support and prayers, and asked for continued privacy and prayers for the family.

The victim is now out of the hospital and home with his parents and, although extremely traumatized over the incident, is expected to make a full recovery.

The suspects are all due in court Friday, but the victim’s family said Thursday they were unsure whether or not they will attend court.

In a related story, scientist in California have confirmed another obvious finding that fish pee in the ocean.

Not the one

Wow, that is funny as crap.

Omer Woodruff

Humans are animals . This is only proof of that . 4 young people destroyed over ignorance . It makes me wonder how these young people were brought up . Single parent households , liquor, and drugs turn out a dangerous mix . The sad part is our children are going to school with kids like this . And I am not saying that to skin color . I was attacked by white kids at a catholic school in the 60’s when no black kids were in my school .

Disarmed in CA

Why do black male criminals tilt their heads back that way?

USMC 8th and I

It’s ghetto BS. They think it makes them look “bad”…..just like when they tilt their guns on an angle…..and, can’t hit shit!

Mike in Illinois

They think it makes them look hard, and the fact is lots of white boys do the same thing.

All it really demonstrates is that their heads aren’t screwed on right.
As something of an aside – do you realize Obama does that very thing all the time, so much so that sometimes you can see right up his nose?

Walter Hargain

Pez dispenser envy.

What

Because when you have shit for brains, your skull is too heavy to hold up straight.